Holster for firearms.



' No. 726,824. PATBNTBDVAPB.. z8,- 1903.

' R. M. G. PHILLIPS.

HOLSTER FOR FIRERMS.

Y APPLIUATIDNHLED snm'. 25, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

me MGRNS PUERS co., muro-Limo.. wAsHlutrrDN. D, c.

NrTnD STATES PATENT lemon.

ROSS M. G. PHILLIPS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO IDEAL HOLSTER COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

HOLSTER FOR FIREARNIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,824, dated April 28, 1903. Application led September 25, 1901. Serial No. 76,539. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ross M'. G. PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Holsters for Firearms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is adapted for pistols, revolvers, magazine-guns, and other rearms.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive holster, which will se'- curely hold the Iir'eai'm ready for instant use and will in the simplest way guard against marring the firearm while the same is being inserted into or withdrawn from the holster.

Another object is to increase the ease of returning the firearm to its holster.

A further object of this invention is to prevent the accidental cooking of the iirearm and any consequent accidental discharge of the same while in the holster.

The invention is to be applied in different ways for dferent kinds of firearms. In some instances it is sufficient for practical use to provide the holster with a resilient mouth into which the firearm will wedge when fully inserted, thus to be held against accidental withdrawal, and said resilient mouth may be constructed and arranged to impinge upon the cylinder of the iirearm to prevent its rotation. In other instances the holster is furnished with engaging means to clasp the handle of the firearm and in other instances engaging means may be arranged to clasp both the body and the handle of the firearm.

In carrying out this invention I apply t0 the open larger end or mouth of the holster a resilient band, preferably of spring steel, which at one and the same time forms a means for pressing inward the edge of the holster and also protects the edges of the opening from being frayed or otherwise injured from contact with external objects. Thus by a two-part construction the desired security against displacement and mari-ing of the firearm and against injury to the mouth of the holster are secured. Furthermore, by this construction anyprojecting parts inside of the body of the holster which might interfere with the insertion of the firearm may be wholly avoided,

and it becomes an easy and simple matter to give a tapering form to the opening into the holster by simply cutting away in a sloping manner the inner upper edge of the leather piece which forms therbody of the holster.

It is to be noted that a special object of this f invention is to provide in the simplest manner and with the least expense a holster which is superior to those heretofore made in that the irearm may be more readily and conveniently placed in the holster and when so placed will be firmly held against accidental displace ment or discharge.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated some of the forms in which this invention is to be applied.

Figure I is a side elevation of a holster having at its mouth engaging means which clasps both the body and the handle of a rearm that is shown inserted in the holster. Fig. II is a view of the open end of the holster shown in Fig. I with the firearm inserted. Fig. III is a side elevational view of a holster for an automatic firearm, one formfwhereof being shown in the holster. Fig. IV is a view of the same from the right of Fig. III. Dotted lines indicate the position of parts at the moment of withdrawing the rearm. Fig. V is a view of the same looking down. Fig. VI is a sectional view on line VI VI, Fig. IV. Fig. VII is a view of another form of holster embodying my invention.

l indicates the holster. 2 indicates the mouth of the same; 3, a preferably resilient mouthpiece. The holster may be of different forms, as indicated at 1 l3 14, and may be provided,respectively,with dierent forms of mouthpiece, as indicated at 3 3 32 in Figs. I, III, and VII, respectively.

' In Figs. I and II, 4 indicates desirably resilient tongues extendinglongitudinally from the mouthpiece 3 and forming intermediate clamping extensions or jaws to clasp or frictionally engage the handle 7 -of the firearm b, which enters between said tongues. These resilient tongues may be dispensed with in someinstances, and the pressure of the mouth of the holster upon the cylinderc or other portion of the firearm will be depended upon to retain the irearm in the holster. Y

In Figs. III, IV, and V, 5 indicates resilient members, being end extensions of the mouthpiece, extending on opposite sides of an edge opening 6 to ad mit the handle 7' of the firearm. Said members 5 approach each other at the upper ends and bulge away from each other below the tops and are adapted and arranged to press upon said handle to prevent its withdrawal except upon the exertion of considerable force. The force required will depend upon the force exerted by the resilient members.

The extensions or tongues 4 may have outwardly-deflected extremities ct to facilitate the introduction of the firearm.

In Fig. VII, 32 indicates a form of mouthpiece which extends entirely around the mouth of the holster, approximately in one plane, to cause the holster to frictionally engage the firearm when secured therein to prevent the accidental disengagement of the firearm.

In practical use the firearm will be inserted into the holster in the usual way and will there be held by the retaining means at the mouth of the holster until considerable force is applied to withdraw it. The mouth is preferably outwardly flaring and inwardly tapering, as indicated at8 in Figs. II, IV, V, and VII, in order that the firearm may be readily inserted.

The mouthpiece 3' (shown in Figs. III, IV, and V) is of U shape viewed at the edge of the holster and preferably forms a protecting marginal binding extending around the lirearm and opening 6 of the holster. The mouthpiece of the holster is secured to the body of the holster by any suitable means, as indicated by the rivets 9.

l'ne resilient mouthpiece may be formed of a single resilient plate or band of metal approximatelyconformed to and secured around the edge of the open end of the holster and furnished with two overlapping end extensions 10, which lap upon each other across below the lower end of the edge opening (3 of the holster, being secured together with rivets l2, that may or may not extend through the material of the holster.

In practical use the handle of the firearm will protrude to be grasped by the user, and the act of withdrawing and inserting the firearm is performed by the user without any manipulation of the clasp or holster just t-he same as with an ordinary holster; but when inserted the firearm is securely held from any accidental displacement.

The mouthpiece members 3, 3', and 32 extend substantially around the margins of the open end or mouth of the holster and form a support for the body l of the holster at the mouth thereof to hold the same in form and hold the same against the firearm for the purpose set forth.

The resilient members 3 3' 32, shown in the different views, positively hold the mouth of the holster ready to receive the firearm, and

the acts of inserting the firearm into the holster and withdrawing it therefrom are accomplished with greater ease and with less care and attention and with greater certainty than possible with holsters heretofore known.

By the external arrangement of the resilient means, bands, or members 3, 3', and 32 for pressing the mouth of the holster inward, a double purpose is accomplished, viz: There is no danger of marring the firearm by contact with such means in the act of inserting and withdrawing the firearm, and the margin of the holster-mouth is protected against injury from any object strikin g against the outside thereof. This latter advantage is emphasized by the fact that the members 3, 3', and 32 are most desirably made of spring steel, which by my arrangement serves admirably for protecting the mouth margin of the holster and will not come into contact with the firearm while the same is being inserted or withdrawn.

It is not desired to confine this invention to the specific construction, combination, and arrangment of parts herein shown and described, and the right is reserved to make all such changes in and modifications of the same as come within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination with a firearm; of a holster provided with a plate or band upon the open end thereof having lateral end extensions secured to the holster and having intermediate clamping extensions or jaws with deflected extremities constructed to frictionally engage said firearm to prevent its accidental disengagement from the holster.

2. A holster, the open end of which is provided with an` edge opening, and resilient means arranged for pressing the holster inward around the mouth and said opening.

3. A holster, the open end of which is provided with an edge opening and a resilient band arranged for pressing the holster inward around the mouth and said opening.

4f. A holster, the open end of which is provided with an edge opening, and a resilient band around the mouth and the opening, the ends of said band overlapping each other below said opening.

5. A holster, the open end of which is provided with an edge opening and resilient means to compress the sides to engage a portion of the firearm.

6. A holster, the open end of which is provided with an edge opening, and a resilient band around said end and opening, having inwardly-overhanging portions at the opening approaching each other at the top and bulging away from each other below the top to engage a portion of the firearm.

7. A holster comprising a hollow tapering body terminating approximately in one plane at the larger end and there furnished with a resilient band extending therearound on the TOO IIO

outside, and arranged for pressing the mouth two subscribing witnesses, at San Francisco, of the holster inward andat the same time California, ths'lth day of September,"1901.

forminfr a. binding or protectinff strip for the n edge of:D the holster-body at the? open end of ROSS M' G' PHILLIPS' 5 the holster. Witnesses:

In testimony whereof I have signed my A. K. DAGGETT,

name to this speeiieation, in the presence of L. PETERSON. 

